A Pretoria Mom came within under a length of scooping the R1,56 million Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge all-or-nothing jackpot at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday!
At a meeting dominated by the top-class Richard Fourie, who helped himself to five of the eight winners on the competitive card, there were three potential big winners going into the ‘lucky last’.
The Winning Form-sponsored rider was at his brilliant best on the Hollywood Foundation raceday, his performance on the Garth Puller late finisher Twice Golden probably best outlining his tactical superiority. The perennial late finisher often gets there when it’s all over.
Richard Fourie gives a high-five after his super Sunday (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
But Fourie called the bluff of a slow pace, punching the stayer into a rare top of the home straight lead to pick up an overdue first win at the city circuit for the consistent and gutsy gelding who doesn’t know he is 7 years old.
Fourie returned from a ten day suspension at Fairview on Friday, where he drew a blank with a handful of places.
But it certainly appears to have dawned on him that between his short holiday at the start of the term, and the recent time out, he needs to get serious and the chase remains on for the R1 million cash in the Hollywoodbets 334 Anthony Delpech Challenge!
He is now on 37 winners for the season, chasing the industrious Muzi Yeni on 53 winners.
Fourie booted home five winners, including two seconds. His first cheques included Johnny The Thief (MJ Odendaal), Galaxy Explorer and Coin Spinner (Tony Rivalland), and Nelson Bay (Peter Muscutt) in the final event.
There were three Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge players on 7 from 7 going into the final race, with Pretoria player Leion the only one of the trio to have wagered a minimum of R50 on the programmatically generated betslip, thus doubling her potential payout.
That set her up for a R1 560 000 payout if Senior Garcia were to win.
Ironically, it was Richard Fourie who dashed Leion’s hopes and dreams, as he kept Nelson Bay (10-1) going to thwart a late challenge by Senor Garcia by a dwindling 0,90 lengths.
Player EvansB had his hopes of a R780 000 payout riding on the third-placed finisher, Winter Waves.
Leion, a working Mom from Pretoria, regularly works out the free-to-enter competition with her husband, and told the Sporting Post that she had really felt that this was her day.
“I’m very disappointed. What can I say? This would have been a lifechanger in many respects,” she added quietly after learning that she had banked R1 000 for finishing third.
Racing journalist David Thiselton selected five winners and finished first of over 10 000 Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge players on the points log on Sunday. The media veteran pocketed R4000, as he also wagered a minimum of R50 on the betslip.
“I’m on leave so had a bit of spare time on Sunday morning to work out my play. Thanks to Hollywoodbets for a great competition, and my commiserations to the three players who came within a heartbeat of eight out of eight, “ he told the Sporting Post.
The Hollywoodbets Punters’ Challenge looks overdue to be won and can be played on all local racemeetings, as well as on the Hong Kong and Singapore fixtures.
Vaal on Tuesday starts at 12h35 and is your next chance – click here to learn more.
